Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Not even words!
Disbelief
Shock
Discovery
Awe
Admiration
Happy
Elated
Denial
Embarrased
Escape
I wonder if there is one word for all these togther...
Friday, December 11, 2009
Saturday, December 05, 2009
B-day
I remember that a few years ago i had a memorable day when a group of determined friends decided that i should have a good day and went out of their way to make my day special.
This time around Dee made sure that i had a great time in office and at home and she knowing my weakness for food gave me the perfect gift. The best thing was that Dee too celebrated her bday a week before mine and so we celebrated it together in office.
Thanks to my friends for bringing in the perfect cake and a near perfect dinner :). Both my R and K are 'pure' vegetarians inspite of which they took me to a nice restaurent where i could have good sea food. The only spoiler was that R tasted a little bit of 'pork' :( in the course of dinner and still kept on a brave face after knowing it rather late.
It was a fun day, thanks to all the lovely people around for all the good wishes.
P.S:I loved the sweater[I know that you would bully me if i dont mention it ;)].
I am going to discount the fact that i locked someone out in the cold :(.Will definitely make it up.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
For the uninitiated chef-Onion Chutney - 1!
Till here there is no perceptible issue but my problem is that i cannot appreciate the food i cook. Well that is not surprising considering the fact that i make a lousy cook. However being the person i am, i am just not ready to quit as yet.
So here i list down some of the simplest recipes that can be tried by anyone. These are of course lifted from friends and also from various websites. I wholeheartedly attribute all due credit to them.
Today i had some frozen idlis and i was tired of the usual chutney that we get. That reminded me of the yummy chutney that Dee prepared.
It's simple to prepare and it is absolutely scrumptious.
Onion Chutney recipe
Preparation time: 15 mins or less
Ingredients:
Onions - 1 [Chopped]
Dry chillies -4 [or as suits your palate -i like it spicy so i put 5]
Oil- as required
Tamarind - 1 teaspoon
Salt - To taste
Method of Preparation:
Heat oil in a frying pan.
Fry the red chillies for 2 mins [Caution:See that the chillies do not get burnt].
Remove the chillies from the pan and fry the onions with salt till the onion turns golden brown. [Onions get fried faster when salt is added]
Remove from pan and keep aside to cool.
Take a teaspoon of tamarind and soak it in water.
Once the onion is cooled add the chillies,fried onion and tamarind water to the mixer and grind it to paste.
Serve with idlis/dosa.
P.S: All due to credits to Dee
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Nostalgia unparalleled
So here is an account on how i spent one of the best days ever...the beauty being that it was simple and uncomplicated...some may call it the simple pleasures in life.
The day began late after a good night's rest. After cleaning out the apartment and a few routine weekend chores, we[we maane K and myself] set out to return a few books and CD's from the community library.
The weather was so beautiful that it was almost heavenly.Cool and Sunny. The library was closed.Both of us forgot that it was closed on a Sunday.
That did not anyways dampen our spirits and we decided on an impromptu getaway.
A scenic drive and great music.Good company!Could'nt have asked for more.
That was indeed refreshing and relaxing.
A cup of coffee at Starbucks in the sun shade and head back home.
I finished the book i started reading[Special reco from K].It was Paulo Coelho's Brida.
Impressive concept. It is strange and beautiful to have a paradigm shift. I find it rewarding to challenge belief's that you have had for a lifetime and then you see them in an all new light. It is awakening of a different kind.
It is as exciting as an explosion and gives a strange feel of liberation.
Books do that to me.
Some great music from the 70's[courtesy K] and earlier.
Cool conversation.
A sumptuous dinner and retiring happily.
The word of the day is 'Contentment'.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Qurbaan 2009 - Review
Most of the movies that i go to the theater to watch are impromptu.Even if it is not, i prefer not to read too many reviews or see trailers because it simply spoils my movie experience.
If someone tells me that the movie is great i tend to set my expectations a little higher and hence would'nt enjoy the movie as i would have in case i hadnt heard about it.
The movie considering the real life chemistry between the lead actors ought to have been promising but proved to a damp squib.
Yes i must agree that there is chemistry to a certain extent but that does not breathe life to a loosely developed plot.
Vivek Oberoi gave a good performance and so did Kirron Kher who did full justice to her role.
The plot of Qurbaan deals with the protagonist[Kareena-Avantika] falling for a handsome professor[Saif-Ehsaan] who has recently joined the same college that she is working in. She has to go abroad for work and he tags along.
Later she comes to know that he is the kingpin for a terrorist network. The story revolves around her dealing with this knowledge. In the course of time she meets a man[Vivek Oberoi-Riyaaz Masood] who is dealing with a recent loss due to terrorist attack.
The movie was very predictable from the beginning, blame it on the humongous volume of movies on similar lines or the rather loose frame of the story line. The portrayal of the terrorist attacks deserve sympathy simply because it fails to convince the viewer of being realistic. Not to forget the FBI who in the movie appears handicapped.
The action sequences are mediocre and it tries in all earnestness to imitate hollywood.Somewhere towards the climax i almost thought it was a hollywood action sequence albeit loosely connected logic.
The atrocities that are prevalent in the name of religion depicted in the movie are serious and real. I agree one hundred percent to the fact that we have issues staying in a different country whether we choose acknowledge it or not.But such a serious issue could have been handled in a more mature manner.
When i came out of the theatre i was left wondering what message the movie conveyed.
Final Verdict:The movie could have been better. Nevertheless it was a good attempt.I would give it a 2.3 on 5.
Concert
At the outset i must admit that my knowledge of Hindi is limited to everyday use and i am a novice in Urdu and that is fatal when it comes to ghazals because you really cant appreciate the essence of the piece.
Nevertheless i decided to give it a shot when a colleague and friend prodded me.
The show was on a Friday and it was scheduled to start at 8.30 in the evening. Perfect for the beginning of a peaceful weekend or so i thought.
The weather was beautiful, the perfect setting for a promising night.
After losing our way a couple of times we eventually landed at the venue to see the creme de la creme of Houston assembled patiently for the evening's rendition.
The show commenced at Indian standard pace which means that it started later than scheduled. But the maestro made it up with his first ghazal 'Tukhrao ab ke pyar karo main nashe mein hoon.'
He did other great pieces like 'Hoshn walo ko khabar','Hazaron Khwahishen aisi' and 'Hum to hain pardes mein des mein nikhla hoga chand'.
It was a good experience listening live to the maestro.
As the evening progressed i think the long day got to me and i dozed off after the break. Unfortunate for me because i just couldnt control my impulse to shut my eyes. I dont know if it was the relaxed atmosphere or some thing else.
But i am glad i did get to listen to the last piece for the day. It was great,at least the parts that i could get to hear.
Finally after snubbing the organsers,the maestro said that he would come back to Houston after two years.And so much hype for the 'last concert'advertising.
The evening was over and we reached home past one at night.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Mostest Embarassing day :(
I think today was the most embarassing day in my twenty plus years of short life.
I have this habit of pinging my friends all through the day and letting them know what i think too...Today was no exception and i send a personal message to a friend and got reply from one of my clients.:(
I had pinged in the client window instead of my friend's. I can only hope and pray for the best.
It was most embarassing....
And adding salt to my already sore wounds my roomies want me to key in here what was in the message....
Ah!What do i say...Frying pan to the fire?
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Devil and the deep sea!
Now i have to find where that book would be available.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Perfect Strangers
If you have made an absolute fool of yourself no one else is going to remember it more vividly than you do...
But sometimes some people strike a chord...perfect strangers...and you remember them long after they are gone...they met and they left... leaving just some impressions in time...
When it comes to me i have such good memory that i can comfortably beat an amnesia patient confidently. And it does mean something when i say that i remember a few perfect strangers...I dont know their names but they were perfect in their own way...I have listed down a few of them...
The lady i met at a pilgrimage from another country...she was writing a thesis on religion...we had a great conversation...she had come home ...couldn't keep in touch...
people do trust...
The gentleman who went out of his way to help me when i was lost in Norway...[most memorable] ...
there is still kindness in the world...
The girl i met on a bus...she gave me a shocker when she said that there was no electricity at her home[this was a long time ago]...
people are actually deprived of necessities that i take for granted...
The gentleman at the airport who had the kindest of smiles and reassured me that it was ok when i goofed up...
you dont necessarily have to do anything to show that you care...
The lady from SA who had three generations settled in SA and had come to india for the first time...
everything need not be complicated...
The drummer with a cute smile...[the 'X' factor i believe]
what do i say...laws of attraction i suppose ;)
Some are strangers and some become strangers...perfect is'nt it?
Moments in time
I made no specific plans for the weekend.I wanted to take some time off as the working week was comparitively hectic...well that does'nt mean that i carried work home anyday.I made a pact with myself that this time around i am not going to over do[the last time i did,the outcome was'nt precisely spectacular].Well i learnt the hard way that you need to have a balance.
After a dose of English,Tamil,Telugu and Malayalam movies over Friday and Saturday when my roomie suggested that we better go for grocery shopping i had to tag along,courtesy the dwindling resources for consumption and consequent fear of starvation.
Well it is true what some one had told about shopping.
Never shop on an empty stomach!
If you did,you tend to buy more than what is required.And when you firmly believe that shopping is therapeutic,it is doubly disastrous. The consequence today was that i grabbed almost more than three quarters of the frozen idlis in stock in the Indian store for a start and to cut the long story short we ended up buying more than what we needed.
It would have been just another day had it not been for the dinner at a local restaurant quite close to home. The food was fine.The ambience was good and the music was great.And not to forget that i had good company.
It was good.
OK..agreed the drummer flashed a really really cute smile and that is definitely not the reason that i have decided to go back again..of course,it has got to do something with the food ;).
It was a some time ago when i had such beautiful days for a routine. A nice book, a quiet evening,the gentle breeze and a good night's sleep...Heavenly!
Sometimes it is different,it is frantic and it is frenzy.It is difficult, to take a step back from the maddening pace.
It is on evenings like these that you enjoy the simple pleasures in life and i must thank my good fortune that i can still enjoy the small things in life.
It is already past midnight and i need to signoff to welcome yet another day...content...
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mirroring the reel!
When you are in your teens you dont like a movie like 'Sabrina',and 'Lamhe' do you?What fascinated me most at that time was the unlikely relationship that developed over the protagonist and an elderly gentleman who is more than twice her age.
Given the kind of social mindset that we are instilled upon, it seemed bizarre at that time,maybe out right wrong.It was a taboo to think a relationship in such a manner.I remember a conversation that i had with a long time friend of mine and she opined that this kind of a relationship is simply not viable.It looks easy from the outside but it's hard to actually live upto.
I do agree with her but you never know what awaits at the next bend,do you?
I loved 'Cheeni Kum' for the unconventional relationship a much older man shares with a young lady. White Palace and The Rebound are other examples of movies with older women falling for younger men.There are countless other examples in movies that revolve around this theme of being unconventional.
Brokeback mountain and Shawshank Redemption are other movies that were excellently made.Well i do agree that both of the aforementioned movies would'nt directly fit into the same genre but if you look at it from a larger perspective you get to know that the essence is the same....it is the human connect.
Well when it comes to real life,incidents like this are swept under the carpet. We can be such hypocrites at times,it is almost pathetic.
My question is what is the big deal? What are you losing if some body does not follow norms that you expect them to follow because it is the expected norm.
It does'nt matter what name you give to a relationship,what matters is the connect that you feel towards another human being.If we ponder too long we miss out on the best that awaits.
It can be just a conversation with a total stranger or a person that you might never ever see again but that could be one of the best perspectives that you stumbled upon.
Movies are a reflection of society and it makes conveying my point easier. I am not saying that following societal norms is absurd, on the contrary it is great to follow norms other wise we would be a bunch of brutal barbarians.The essence is in inclusion and acceptance of people who are different than you are and also who walk the untread road.
It is a truly liberating experience to think and act beyond the frontiers!
Quotable Quotes.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Billboards!
Identity Crisis?
Our thoughts are defined by our circumstances and perceptions of events around us.It happens more often than not that this is skewed.
So can we still go ahead and claim a train of thought as authentic and ours?
Where is the entity called 'I' in this process?
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Happy Birthday Someone!
And before this day ends i want to let you know that you are the coolest persons i ever knew and yes,ignoring the fact that you said that '* ****' not so long ago.
Thank you for being there,for criticizing me when needed and otherwise.
You have helped me commit some of the biggest blunders that i would'nt forget in a hurry with your motivating one liners. I know you laughed for days at my folly.
Well it is a different matter that now it provides me fodder for a secret smile.
Well i need'nt tell you that you need'nt change because you have not changed one bit of your supreme self since the day i knew you.
Yes,i mean that you still irritate me the way you did from the day i met you till date and i very well know how you enjoy it.
Whatever it is, i want to let you know that you simply rock and the times we shared were great.[Though i would'nt want to spend New Year's Eve with you]
Happy Birthday and have a rocking year ahead![Yeah i guess that is the last time i am going to wish you this year.... ]
Keep that uber cool smile in tact!
God Bless!
An evening in the temple!
A calm that matches something within. It was probably because it was a relaxed weekend that i could relish it so.
I always liked spending a little 'Me' time,but it got out a little excessive when both my roomies went out for the weekend.
I felt that it was good to go to church,but going to the near Greek orthodox church did not seem like a great idea,mainly for the reason that Greek was greek to me.
While these thoughts were simmering,that i heard a knock at the door and to my happiness it was an old friend S and her hubby.
And they brought along the much needed sunshine.
When S suggested that we go out to the temple i jumped at the opportunity. Well this level of enthusiasm would seem unusual for some one who has studied most of her life in Catholic institutions and was brought up in Christian faith.
I have been surrounded with people from different faiths, but it never mattered.My funda was 'I have my God and you have yours'. Essentially the concept was of one God, but probably there was some distance that i maintained from the other idols.
Of course it is a different matter that i did say a quick prayer when i saw an idol from another faith asking them to bless my friends whom i knew prayed to that particular idol.
It is amazing to see how our thought processes evolve with time.I have been to temples before and i always felt the calm about the place. It is a peace that cannot be explained but only felt.
The calm and quiet in the place lingered on you long after you have left it. It is the same feeling that i get when i go to a church.
Amazing is'nt it?
The temple that we were visiting was on the outskirts and the drive was simply superb. What can i say about a city that is veiled in dew wanton in cool breeze?It is poetic!
The tall glass buildings slowly gave way to luscious trees and cute cottages.The stables and grazing horses along the rail tracks reminded me of the countless movies that were shot in such a back drop.It was almost country side.
After an almost an hour's drive we arrived at the temple. It was not a match to the architectural temples that i had visited in South India. This temple from the outside looked small but when i went inside it was not a dissapointment.
It smelt camphor and ghee inside the temple. And then there was the calm.
I dutifully went and offered my prayers.This time it was different.When i closed my eyes here it was like praying to my own God but just dressed differently.
While leaving i ran to one of the figurines specialized in an area and asked for a particular wish to be fulfilled.It takes some time for us to realise that all religions are the same no matter how we practice it.
The essence is goodness and being a good human being.
You think it is over stated and cliche?
Take a look at the newspapers and magazines or just listen to your own mind when it gets tested,you might not think so then.
This evening brought me a different perspective and i am happy about it.
P.S:The point i wanted to convey is simple...Be good do good...And that is within each individual.That is religion!
NOM to anyone or any faith or religion.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
A few lines from the back of an obscure chemistry text
now is conquered.
To the sweet prison of life,
you are chained.
together in the joys and pains,
we will love
Until the last dreg of life is drunk,
Ne'er shall we part
You still hold the key,
the key to my heart.
With the sweet music of your voice
is the rhythm of my life.
When the cage is open for eternal freedom,
I want you forever...
P.S:Copy right is not mine :)
Sleepless!
It is neither too hot[note that my standards are different] nor too cold.
Insomnia is not that bad when you have the breeze on your hair,the entire neighbourhood is sleeping and quiet.
Compliment a nice song and it is a party of a different kind altogether.
This moment is peace,this moment is bliss!
Yippee!
Today i have taken the resolution that i am going to write a few lines even if it means that it is almost past midnight and at the risk of me running late to office tomorrow.
What has kept me awake is a call from my friend who informed me that she would be joining me soon.
It is a cool thing and definitely the best thing that has happened to me in recent times,the reason being that she is the sweetest person and the bestest cook.
She was my room mate a couple of months back and trust me ...it is extremely difficult for a person who rarely enters the kitchen to survive in a foreign place with burnt food.
I am looking forward to her arrival :)